A network of computer elements is customarily based on an architecture according to which the individual computer elements are connected to a transmission medium, via which medium the computer elements are able to exchange data and which medium is used exclusively jointly by the computer elements. This means that each individual computer element can use the transmission medium, wherein only one computer element can use the transmission element at a given point in time. If the transmission medium is configured in such a manner that it provides a plurality of transmission channels, each transmission channel can be used by one computer element, respectively. In this case, the transmission medium with the plurality of transmission channels may be used simultaneously by a plurality of computer elements, wherein, however, a single transmission channel may be used by only one computer element at a given point in time.
It is therefore necessary for the transmission medium to be assigned via a so-called assignment strategy to a computer element in each case, which computer element can then use the transmission medium exclusively. As soon as the computer element to which the transmission medium is assigned has ended its transmission, the transmission medium is released for assignment to another computer element or to the same one.
This fundamental architecture is found in the networking or interconnection of individual computers, for example, via a computer network (so-called macrostructure) and also in the networking or interconnection of components which are located within a computer, for example on a computer processor (so-called microstructure).
Depending on the area of application, there is a plurality of assignment strategies for the assignment of the transmission medium to a computer element, wherein the structure of the assignment strategy is substantially predefined by the external requirements made of the communication performance and the communication needs of the computer elements.
DE 10 2009 046 062 B3 describes a device and a method of transmitting data via network nodes of a network, wherein a plurality of network nodes can transmit data via a data transmission bus using a transmit line and a receive line. In this case, the data transmission bus of one network node is used at one point in time and may, however, be allocated consecutively to different network nodes or assigned to these.